Mike Waterbury is one of healthcare’s most influential voices. Often referred to as the “Tenth Man of Healthcare” due to his grit and unwavering commitment to change the status quo, Waterbury takes a stand on the misaligned incentives, growing medical debt and legacy thinking that many industry leaders shy away from. His passion for an improved system—where insured individuals aren’t struggling to afford out-of-pocket healthcare costs—coupled with 25+ years of learnings at the top healthcare organizations in the U.S., led him to found Goodroot, a community of companies focused on reinventing healthcare—and the systems that no longer serve us.

As President and CEO of Goodroot, Waterbury is focused on freeing and amplifying the talent that’s trapped within the industry. He brings visionary leaders, innovators, and seasoned healthcare experts together to champion private companies focused on making healthcare affordable and accessible through innovation. Goodroot acts as an umbrella and accelerator company, aiding its affiliates with the necessary capital, finance, legal, HR, sales, and marketing support to scale. Waterbury plays a key role in overseeing the launch and growth of each affiliate company.

Boasting nine successful companies since his entrepreneurial debut, Waterbury’s leadership has been invaluable to Goodroot’s continued expansion and marketplace prominence. For its ongoing work to increase access and affordability in the healthcare industry, Goodroot has been recognized for the second year in a row with a Real Leaders Impact Award, which recognizes companies driven by a sense of humanitarian capitalism that have found a path where they can do well while doing good for humanity. Goodroot ranks No. 51 on the 2022 list of the top 200 impact companies, alongside many healthcare heavyweights and other notable trailblazers.